First consider the expression for: Take the product of $-9$ and $x$ and add $-7$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $-2$ and the product of $-7$ and that expression.
Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $-9$ and $x$ $-9 \times x = \color{orange}{-9x}$ What does adding $-7$ to $-9x$ do? $-9x$ $ - 7$ What is the quantity of $-7$ times that expression $-7 \times (-9x - 7) = \color{orange}{-7(-9x-7)}$ What is the sum of $-2$ and $\color{orange}{-7(-9x-7)}$ $-7(-9x-7)$ $ - 2$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $-7(-9x-7)-2$.